AND H O K T I C U L T U R A L REGISTER. 



/Ob. XXI.] 



PUCLISBED BV JOSEPH BRECK i CO., NO. 52 NOllTH MARKET STREET, (Aoricultubal Warehouse.)-ALLEN PUTNAM, EDITOR. 



BOSTON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 24, 1842. 



[NO. 8. 



N. E. FARMER, 



MEDITERRANEAN WHEAT. 

 We acknowledjjed, last week, the receipt of a 

 ijimall parcel of lliis wheat from Hon. H. L. Ells- 

 Ji«orth. The following circular accompanied the 

 )resent : — 



Patent Office, 1 

 July 20. 1842. ) 

 Sir. — I have the honor to transmit a parcel of 

 Mediterranean Wheat, respecting which much has 

 lately been published, and the peculiar qualities of 

 which are described in the accompanying letters 

 from Dr. Smith, of Philadelphia, and Mr Powell, 

 seedsman, in the same city. 



I am, most respectfully, yours, 



H. L. ELLSWORTH. 



Philadelphia, July 14M, 1842. 



Dear Sir — Yours of the Cth instant, came duly 

 to hand, and I should have answered it sooner, had 

 business and other circumstances permitted. 



That variety of the Mediterranean Wheat which 

 [ I have sown for several years past, I consider 

 ^roi^" against the Jly, and almost proof aPainst the 

 rust. 



For the formor, no rational e.i:planation has thus 

 far been given : but the instances have been so 

 numerous where this and the other kinds of wheat 

 among us have been sown on adjoining lands in 

 the same field, with cultivation precisely the same, 

 where this has remained untouched by the fly, pro- 

 ducing a heavy crop, and Ihe others almost entirely 

 destroyed, that the most skeptical have no longer 

 any doubts upon the subject. 



But that it should so [Generally escape the mil- 

 dew, we have endeavored to explain from the fact, 

 that it ripens from ten to twelve days earlier than 

 any wheat now sown in the Middle or Eastern 

 States, (as far as my knowledge extends.) But 

 that this is a full and satisfactory explanation, I 

 am not entirely prepared to believe ; for the causes 

 to which we have generally attributed the produc- 

 tion of mildew may exist, when this wheat is sits- 

 r.eplibte of being acted upon by them, as well as 

 the other kinds. 



These causes we understand to be — 



1. That state of the plant when the grain is 

 fully formed but very soft and milky, the whole en- 

 ergies of the plant directed to its perfeolion, and 

 the sap vessels all distended. 



2. That state of the atmosphere which tends still 

 farther to distend the vessels ; as heavy dews, and 

 fogs and clouds, which obscure the sun for several 

 hours after his rising. 



3. A sudden outbreaking of the sun, with such 

 power as to rupture the sap vessels of the plant, 

 thereby giving a nidus for the seeds of the para- 

 site to take root. 



But be the causes what they may, it is rarely in- 

 jured by the fly or rust. Nor are these all its ad- 

 vantages over any wheat among us. For it may 

 be sown from the first of September to the middle 

 of October, and upon soil so thin that the farmer 



would not think of sowing any other kind of wheat 

 and yet produce a fair crop. 



I have sown it for two years, after a crop of' 

 corn and potatoes had been taken from the ground, 

 and fully believe, that the yield afier the potatoes, 

 was upwards of thirty bushels to the acre. 



If sown early, one and a half bushel per acre 

 will be enough, but if not sown till in October, at 

 least two bushels should be sown. 



Now although the straw is so soft that it will 

 most certainly fall in rich ground, still it ripens 

 well, even should the timothy grow up through it 

 and hide it from view. And although the grain is 

 not so white and mellow as some other varieties of 

 wheat, still, that it will produce more superfine 

 flour to the acre for a given number of years than 

 any other wheat now extant, I feel no hesitation in 

 asserting. 



I shall be able to supply any moderate quantity 

 in time for sowing, delivered at any place to be 

 mentioned in Philadelphia. 



With sentiments of regard, 

 1 remain your friend, 



MOSES B. SMITH. 



Hon. H. L. Ellsworth, 



Commissioner of Patents. 



Philadelphia, July I4th, 1842. 

 H. L. Ellsworth, Esq. — Dear Sir — So far as 

 heard from, the Mediterranean wheat grows more 

 in favor as it becomes better known. Mr White, 

 formerly a merchant of our city, stated to me last 

 fall, that he had tested it side by side \vith two or 

 three others, and that this was the only one that 

 escaped rust, fly, &c. It is an early wheat, adapts 

 itself lo the generality of soils, but especially to 

 light sand — and as it becomes acclimated, assumes 

 more the cast of our Orange wheat. I find a con- 

 curring opinion from many neighborhoods, that the 

 Mediterranean wheat this season, exceeds by great 

 odds, all other varieties. I can supply a clean 

 good article, as per sample, at $1 75 per bushel. 

 Very respectfully, 



"M. S. POWELL, 

 23 Market street. 



ANIMAL FOOD. 

 The best tests of the restorative qualities of 

 food are, a small quantity of it satisfying hunger — 

 the strength of the pulse after it — and the length 

 of time which elapses before appetite returns again. 

 According to these rules, the editor's own experi- 

 ence gives a decided verdict in favor of roasted or 

 boiled beef or mutton, as most nutritive ; thengame 

 and poultry, of which the meat is brown; next, 

 veal, and lamb, and poultry, of which the meat is 

 white; the fat kinds of fish, eels, salmon, herrings, 

 &c. ; and least nutritive, the white kinds 'of fish, 

 such as whiting, cod, soles, haddocks, &c. By 

 Dr. Stark's very curious experiments on diet, it op- 

 pears that " when he ted upon roasted goose, he 

 was much more vigorous, both in body and mind, 

 than with any other food." That fish is less nu- 

 tritive than flesh, the speedy return of hunger after 



a dinner of fish, is suflicient proof. Crabs, lobsters, 

 prawns, &c., unless thoroughly boiled, (which 

 those sold ready boiled seldom are,) are tremen- 

 dously indigestible. Shell-fish have long held a 

 high rank in the catalogue of easy digestible and 

 speedy restorative foods ; of these, oysters certain- 

 ly deserve the best character; but we think that 

 they, as well as eggs, gelatinous substances, rich 

 broths, &c. have acquired not a little more reputa- 

 tion from these qualities than they deserve. — Jlrt 

 of Invigorating Life. 



[C^Our own experience tells us that a bowl of 

 bread and milk keeps off" hunger and keeps up 

 strength longer than any other food that we take — 

 though roasted meats — beef especially — give more 

 vigor for the first two or three hours after eating. — 

 Ed. N. E. F. 



NEW YORK STATE CATTLE SHOW. 



The Cattle Show and Fair of the New York 

 State Agricultural Society, will bo held at Albany 

 on the 27th, 28th, 29th and 30th. days of Septem- 

 ber. Trialof implements on Tuesday, 27th ; Show, 

 28th and 20th ; Sale of Stock, die, 30th. 



We notice that their judges are selected, in part, 

 from citizens of other States. 



" The premiums for essays, to artists, and for 

 agricultural implements, will be open to the United 

 States; but all others will be confined to residents 

 of this (New York) State, who are members of the 

 Society, or who may become so by the payment of 

 one dollar on entering their articles." 



From the New Genesee Farmer. 



Sowing Plaster. — Many farmers suppose that 

 plaster should only be sown after spring vegeta- 

 tion has advanced ; this is evidently a mistake, as 

 plaster must be dissolved before its manuring pro- 

 erties are developed ; rain, frost, and even snow, 

 are necessary to eflfect this result; hence some 

 have observed that their plaster did no good in a 

 dry season of the first year. S. W. 



Fall Plowing. — Some farmers condemn fall 

 plowing, because it does not succeed on an easy, 

 friable soil. Is this any reason why a stiff clay 

 should not be improved by it? A clay garden with 

 long manure plowed under in the fall, will save 

 much tedious labor in the spring, besides vegeta- 

 tion will be much earlier. S. W. 



In the midst of the greatest plenty that ever fell 

 to the lot of any country, we are crying our eyes 

 out for distress ; and the National cow, with a 

 swimming pail of milk under her, seems determin- 

 ed to kick it all over. — Colman. 



Straioberries. — It is a good time to transplant 

 and form your new beds. 



Budding. — Apples and pears — most of the trees, 

 indeed, in which the sap flows freely, may be bud- 

 ded now. 



